6 Beverages Every Pregnant Woman Should Stay Away From

Being pregnant puts the Mother and the developing child in a delicate situation where anything and everything the former consumes can affect the latter. While there are loads of foods and drinks that are beneficial, there are unfortunately some that are not.

While it is essential to shake off certain habits such as smoking and alcohol consumption during pregnancy, there are also a number of beverages that can affect the unborn child.

Bottled or Tap Water That Could Contain Lead
A lot of plumbing systems in this part of the world still makes use of lead pipes and it is best to avoid drinking water from them especially if you’re pregnant. High levels of lead have been found to cause low birth weight, pre-term delivery, and delays in the baby’s developmental.

Some bottled waters are basically tap water that is simply Because some bottled water been bottled and sold, it is essential to read the labels of such bottles carefully before drinking it while you’re pregnant.

Sugary Drinks
Consuming a lot of sugary drinks during while pregnant can cause you to gain more weight than you thought you would. While sugary drinks are generally not harmful to the developing baby, they add no nutritive value to you or the child.

More so, if you develop a form of diabetes known as gestational diabetes during pregnancy, you will have to pay very close attention to your sugary intake, especially the drinks more. Nonetheless, drinking sugary drinks occasionally is okay, but it is best to stay away from them totally during pregnancy.

Alcohol
According to a report released by the American Academy of Pediatrics, there is no level of drinking alcohol that can be considered safe during pregnancy. This is because a lot of developmental disorders and birth defects have been discovered to be related to the consumption of alcohol are almost all of them can be prevented if a pregnant woman avoids alcohol during pregnancy.

There are however a lot of theories that an occasional glass of wine is okay, but it is best to entirely avoid alcohol while pregnant to minimize the risk of alcohol-related defects.

Unpasteurized Milk
Unpasteurized milk is another name for raw milk and it contains a number of dangerous and pathogenic bacteria growing in it. This milk can potentially make you sick depending on the bacteria it harbours and may even cause you to have a miscarriage.

The pasteurization process entails heating the milk and killing off any pathogenic bacteria in it. Pasteurized milk is thus a safer option especially when you’re pregnant.

Freshly squeezed Juices
Fresh-squeezed juices are delicious and nutritious, but they can be a source of potential danger for pregnant women. Whether you buy them processed or make them yourself, there’s a chance that they can be contaminated with dangerous bacteria such as E.coli (Escherichia coli).

The best thing to do is to buy pasteurized juice and regularly clean and sterilise your juice squeezers. Otherwise, avoid fresh-squeezed juice entirely to minimize the risk of falling ill and potentially harming yourself and the unborn child.

Coffee or Tea That Contains Caffeine
It is important for pregnant women to limit and monitor their caffeine intake. A pregnant woman should not take more than 200 mg per day, equivalent to a cup of coffee. As a pregnant woman, you should also note that you may get caffeine from other sources as Chocolate and tea are both common sources in addition to coffee.

It’s best to check with your doctor or other healthcare professional about caffeine intake because they will be able to give you exact specifications that fit you and your health.

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